I would like to preface this by saying I am no photographer and this is purely a handful of tips to help out with your babywearing selfies!
1. Earphones/ear buds: you know those earphone things that come with your phone? Or the cheap earphones that have a volume switch on the cords? Plug them into your phone, switch it to camera and rest it on a windowsill, fence, mailbox/forked tree branch/whatever and you can take photos remotely (or somewhat!) with the button on them. This is great for putting your phone on a chair or even the ground to get a seat shot.
2. Voice control: most phones have an option in the camera settings to change your capture mode to voice operated. This will allow you to hold your phone further away from you when you take a selfie.
3. Your selfies don't have to be traditional selfie style selfies. Think about those things that tell you visually how a wrap wraps; knots, twists, seats, fancy finishes, pleated shoulders, weave close ups etc. Focus on those things too for variation.
4. Tripods: you can get mobile phone tripods for around $3 on eBay/AliExpress etc. If you're after totally free, a makeshift tripod can be made by chopping two slots in a paper/polystyrene cup and sitting your phone in it!
5. Rubbish Lighting: those little silver freezer bags are great for reflecting light! Even a square of cardboard, roughly a4 sized, wrapped in tinfoil will work for reflecting light. You don't want a full on spotlight effect, but holding it away from you and playing with angling it towards your face, you can find a flattering amount of light for a great selfie.
6. Selfie stick: love 'em or hate 'em, they are an option and can be picked up cheaply. Playing with the angle you hold it on you can avoid getting the stick part in your photo!
7. Light: Morning or late afternoon lighting tend to be better for photos than mid day light, as do overcast days. Filtered light under trees etc can work well too.
8. Background: think about your background. Whether its a plain coloured wall in your home (or a #kelsewall !!), out in your garden, or on a beach, be aware of your background! I've been caught out so many times by sneaky mountains of laundry, the dog weeing or a rogue chicken, and so often you see bathroom selfies with a toilet in the background, all things that detract from an awesome selfie!
9. Tails: tails are not just beautiful but can say a lot about how a wrap falls, even if the wrap is only long enough for a TSC or NSRS with swishy tails, tails make babywearing selfies sing!
